Saturday 23 January 2010

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), ad female, 23.1.2010, Aarhus Harbor

The 3rd adult Yellow-legged Gull in Aarhus Harbor this winter was today relocated in the central harbor. It has a broad black subterminal band on p5, no mirror on p9 and only a rather small white mirror on p10. Other photos including flight shots from January 3 are here at GullDK.







Wednesday 20 January 2010

Pallas's Gull (Larus ichthyaetus), 1cy, 10.10.1993, Blåvandshuk, Blåvand

This Great Black-headed Gull was found and identified straight away by the Danish birder Troels Eske Ortvad. It is the first documented record in Denmark and so far there has only been a second, also a one-day bird seen in November 2001. Thus, the species is yet a major and most wanted rarity in our country.










Monday 4 January 2010

Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), ad female, 3.1.2010, Aarhus East Harbor (#2)

This is the 2nd Yellow-legged Gull in Aarhus Harbor this winter judged from its specific “finger-print” primary pattern. The white mirror on p10 creates together with the apical spot an all white feather tip, p9 has only a slight white mirror divided by the black feather shaft whereas the black subterminal band on p5 is only partly complete being most extensive on inner web and lacking on outer web.

It has been rather stationary in the harbor since it was located on December 17 by Rune Sø Neergaard. Please have a look at Århusbiderne for December photos.

There are photos of the 1st Yellow-legged Gull this winter in Aarhus at Århusbiderne whereas the 3rd individual this winter are documented here at GullDK.













Caspian Gull (Larus cachinnans), 5cy, 3.1.2010, Aarhus East Harbor

This beautiful 4th winter Caspian Gull was also seen in December on the exact same spot in the harbor. There are a few comments on the primary pattern posted on Bird Forum.

It is a young adult (4th winter) as indicated by the heavy neck spotting, the black pattern on the bill and the dark streaks on primary coverts. The short grey p10 tongue and the solid black subterminal band to the p10 mirror also fit this age class though such patterns would also match adult cachinnans of some eastern origin or a minority of birds in the western Black Sea populations.





Yellow-legged Gull (Larus michahellis), ad female, 3.1.2010, Aarhus East Harbor (#1)

This is the 3rd Yellow-legged Gull in Aarhus Harbor this winter judged from the primary pattern. The “finger-print” pattern has broad black subterminal band on p5, no mirror on p9 and only a rather small white mirror on p10.

All photos of the flying gull were taken by Rasmus Due Nielsen (RDN) from Århusbirderne.

There are photos of the 1st Yellow-legged Gull this winter in Aarhus at Århusbiderne whereas the 2nd individual this winter are documented here at GullDK.